Salmon Bagel and a Hot Chocolate

25 - Final Pages, Fresh Beginnings

"I told you."

"I haven't even said hi..." Minjeong shook her head in amusement.

"Yizhuo told me everything," Taeyeon laughed. "So I'm starting this off with a big 'I told you so'."

"Well, you guys were all right in the end," Minjeong shrugged, putting her phone on her desk and leaning back in her chair. "My feelings for her are so strong, I cried."

"Yeah, I was told." Taeyeon hummed. "Minjeong, I'm really happy you were able to even think about your feelings. This is a huge step."

"Thanks, mom," Minjeong smiled. "I'm proud of myself. I mean, that was the most vulnerable I've been in front of anyone in years, and technically, we haven't even said all that needs to be said."

"Saving it for the date?"

"Yeah, I guess that's the time for all the questions."

"So, how did it even happen?" Taeyeon asked. "Yizhuo told me Jihyo had something to do with it, but I couldn't really understand the point she was trying to make."

"Jihyo was at the workshop I went to and I thought it would be good for me to talk to her about a couple of things that were on my mind," Minjeong explained. "Karina was on my mind way too much and I desperately needed to know why."

"Yeah, and she almost kissed you, I heard?"

"Which was why I was losing my mind a bit," Minjeong muttered. "I couldn't stop thinking about her. Even when I was with Isa, all I could think about was her."

"Any of my words got in your head?"

"Yeah, you said all that and just left," Minjeong let out a light laugh. "I was so confused about what you meant by that.

"Obviously I knew something would happen between the two of you." Taeyeon chuckled. "You look at her so different. Anyone can tell."

"I look at her normally."

"Well then, she looks at you like you're the best thing to happen to her."

Minjeong felt her face heat up at that. She couldn't say for sure if that was how Karina looked at her– she could never tell– but even Yizhuo said the same thing about the way Karina looked at her. Maybe it was more meaningful to her than she ever thought it could be.

She wanted to be looked at like that– like how Yizhuo and her mother described Karina looked at her. Minjeong wanted to feel that special feeling. The thought of her being someone special to Karina made her heart skip a beat.

There was really no one else Minjeong wanted to feel this way with.

"Are you blushing?"

"Mom!" Minjeong whined, Yunjin walking in right at that moment.

"Oh, sorry." Yunjin apologised, Minjeong brushing it off.

"Is that Yunjin?" Taeyeon asked. "Hi Yunjin!"

"Taeyeon, hey." Yunjin smiled, Minjeong motioning for her to come in to chat.

"Did you hear? Minjeong's back in the dating scene."

"Mom!" Minjeong groaned, hiding her head in her hands.

"Is that so?" Yunjin chuckled. "Is it the barista Yizhuo swears you're into? Karina?"

"Yes." Minjeong mumbled, Yunjin gasping in response.

"Yizhuo was right?!"

"That's what we're all thinking."